Carry Me Home
by caskettshipper3
Summary: AU story in which Johanna dies when Kate is 10 and Jim finds an alternate outlet for his frustrations. Strong T rating in future chapters. You were warned.
1. Chapter 1

_**So, I'm not going to put this under M because there isn't really any graphic material in here, but I will say strong T for possible triggers: death & child abuse.**_

_**Enjoy**_

**_"_**Rick!" Martha yelled. Rick awoke out of his slumber, dazed and confused. "I TOLD YOU TO TAKE OUT THIS TRASH!" There's why he was awake at- 3:30 am!?

Rick groaned and rolled out of bed. He threw on some loafers and quickly met his mother downstairs. "Mother it's 3 am!"

"Well if you'd take the trash out when I tell you..."

"Alright, alright." Rick mumbled while tying up the trash.

"Now, I'm off to an early rise practice. I'll see you at around 5." She kissed his cheek and brushed down his hair. "Love you."

He watched her leave, then thoroughly mussed up his hair, the way he liked it, and proceeded to take out the trash. He immediately regretted not putting on a shirt, the mid fall air hitting his chest. The 16 year old quickly ran out and put the trash on the curb and turned to run back.

A trash bag left in an alley caught his eye, however, and his 'golden heart' forced him to go get it. He'd just run and get it, then go snuggle back under his warm covers on his expensive sheets. He smiled a bit as he walked to the trash.

Unfortunately, what he had thought to be a trash bag looked too much like a human and a part of his heart weeped for the homeless soul. He continued to walk, planning to offer the person some food and shelter from the cold. "Excuse me?" No answer. He walked closer to the body, praying they weren't dead, and knelt down, gently rolling them over.

His heart completely stopped when he saw the beautiful, yet beaten face of a girl who looked about his age. Her left eye was bruised and swollen snd her lip was badly split. She also had blood coming from somewhere on her head. She was still breathing, but unconcious and she wore a ratty black hoodie, faded blue skinny jeans and- no shoes?! Rick's eyes watered.

Who would do this to someone so beautiful and fragile?

He picked her up and carried her slowly to his house. Once inside he layed her on the floor, near the fireplace. He grabbed his cover and put it in the dryer. He also grabbed his fluffiest socks and put them in the microwave. While he waited, he lit the fireplace and got a wrag with hot water. He took the socks and put them on her feet, along with an old pair of converse that didn't fit him anymore. He took her sweater off and put his cover over her. Lastly, he layed the warm wrag on her head.

Afterwards, Rick just sat there, watching her. The glow if the fire only made her more beautiful and now that she had warmed some, her face looked much more relaxed. He decided to work while she slept to preoccupy himself. He retrieved the first aid kit and sat down beside her. His mother's friend, Lanie, was a medical examiner. When he was younger, his 'Aunt Lanie' taught him a lot about health care and different nurse practices. He was now more glad then ever that he had payed attention.

Rick took an anti-sweller and rubbed it around the bottom of the girl's eye and cheek. After he gauzed that, he take an alcohol wipe and cleaned the blood from her face. He bit neosporin on the cut on her lip & head and added butterfly band aids so they coukd heal properly. He was adding the last few touches when she woke up.

He looked down into the most beautiful hazel eyes he'd ever seen. "Uh, hi."

He wasn't surprised when her eyes turned terrified and she scooted as far away as possible. He slowly put the first aid kit away and began making his way towards her. She whimpered and he stopped.

"I'm not gonna hurt you. I was just trying to help."

She looked at the blue eyed stranger and then she started thinking. When she had passed out, it was an alley, not a luxorious two story house. And her face seemed to hurt much less then before. She felt her and found that someone had covered up her marks.

The boy.

She apprehensively looked at him and saw his sincere eyes stare back at her. Her throat still hurt too much from screaming to talk. She raised her hand to her neck and he seemed to understand.

"Oh, I've got something for that." She watched as he rummaged through a drawer behind him and came up with a spray bottle. "It's to help your throat. Can I?"

She hesitantly nodded her head and he walked slowly to her. She opened her mouth slightly and he spritzed the warm cherry liquid down her throat. It trickled down her throat, immediately making a tingling sensation, telling her it was working. She closed her eyes and savored the feeling.

"Good right?" He watched her beautiful eyes pop open. "My mom is an actor and I sing a lot so it comes in handy." She stays silent and watches the flames. "So can I know your name? Or at least why someone so beautiful was sleeping in an alley in 39 degree weather." She stared at him then moved to his side, snuggling under his arm while laying then both down. Rick, who was slightly in shock, watched as she snuggled into him, closing her eyes.

It was clear he would be getting nothing out of her tonight, so he closed his eyes also and just enjoyed the feel of her.

The next morning he woke up alone. His cover had been thrown over him and tucked. The fire was also put out and the girl was gone. Rick looked around frantically and caught sight of a note, stuck to the first aid kit.

Dear blue eyes,

Thank you so much for all you did. I feel much better. I hope you don't mind, but I kept your shoes. They're quite comfortable. You really are a sweet person.

Rick smiled at the letter, glad he could help. He also hoped he could see her again, under different circumstances of course, and get a name and story out of her**_._**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Ah, I'm so glad you all like this :) **_

_**Here is a reward for reviewing. The more reviews the quicker the update.**_

_**Enjoy**_

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><p>She needs to be quiet.<p>

That's how she lives her life. In silence.

When her father is at work or watching television, she can live peacefully. She can do her homework. She can read or watch movies. She can cook him dinner or clean her room or pretty much anything. Pretty much.

But if she makes a sound...

If she drops a glass plate or a wooden pencil while he's asleep or on the phone or worse, drunk, he'll get upset and he'll hit her. Hard. And it'll hurt, she's sure of that.

She is currently slipping past his door, avoiding the creeky board, second one to the left towards the middle, she'd made that mistake before, and trying to get to the door. His last beating had her jousled still and that punch to her chest had her heart skipping a beat.

She walked slowly and steadily to the door. She'd just pretend to be gone for school. Her feet stepped purposefully as she made her way to the door. She reached the door when a purple spot of color caught her eye.

Her bookbag.

If she left it, there was no way she could say she left for school, but she was already stepping on eggshells. Deciding that she had to risk it, she began the trek into the kitchen. It had been dropped there after school when he had surprised with a swift punch to her face.

She continued on to get it as carefully as possible. Once she reached her bag she swung it over her shoulder, stupidly. Her bag knocked a glass to the ground.

Uh oh.

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><p>He thinks about her.<p>

For the next 12 days he thinks about her. So many questions circle his head. Who is she? Where is she from? The question most preaent in his mind: who would do that to her? His trips to the trash were more frequent. Even though he hoped that finding her beaten in an alley was a one time thing, he couldn't help but want to see her again.

He didn't have to wait much longer though.

It was a Saturday. 13 days since he'd seen Kate, and his mother was at a dress rehersal. He was watching a football game when there was a sudden knock on the backdoor. He cautiously made his way to it and peejed out the window. When he saw long brown tresses, he couldn't help but get excited. He yanked open the door and smiled.

"Kate." His face immediately dropped when he saw her pail face, riddled with tears. He looked down and saw several cuts on her arms and one large gash that still had glass in it. He thought how someone could walk down the street with such injuries and not be helped, but he threw that thought away and helped her inside.

He led her to the kitchen and sat her on the counter. He saw her wince when his hands touched her sides and made a mental note to check that later. He took her arm and put it under the faucet, letting some cold water wash away the blood and glass. Once some of it was gone her repeated the motion with the same arm.

Rick the ran to his mothers room and grabbed tweezers out of her bathroom. He used them to pull the remaining glass out of her. Before he started pulling, he took her hand.

"Squeeze if it starts to hurt ok?" She nods faintly and her eyes portray surprise. Has no one ever cared about her pain? He took the tweezers and plucked a few smaller shards out before reaching for the big peice. "Hold your breath ok?" She again nodded and he pulled the peice. She squoze his hand hard and he winced. "Sorry."

After he had covered her arms with ointment and bandages, he looked at her. "Can I lift your shirt a bit?" He sees the fear and confusion in her eyes and immediately clarifies. "I just wann see your stomach." He sees her nod hesitantly before lifting her shirt slightly. He winces at the horribly large bruise marks on her that looked too much like a foot for his liking.

He layed her back slowly on the counter and when to the fridge. He filled two towels with ice and brought them over to her. "This will sting a bit but I need you to just breathe through it. Rick laid the ice on her stomach and watched as she took shaky breaths through it. "Good girl, just breathe through it." When her breaths turned slightly less shaky, he removed the ice and put ointment on the bruises. He sat her up and stood in the v of her legs as he wrapped her stomach with gauze.

Once done he looked up into her eyes. "There all... better." He swallowed thickly as he saw the golden flecks in her green eyes. She was so beautiful. His heart lurched when his brain reminded him about her knocking on his door. She had sought him out. Obviously that was a good sign. Her gaze flicked away and he beamed at the noticable flush in her cheeks. He backed away from her and went to the fridge, pulling out to juiceboxes.

He handed one to her. "Magic cure." He smiled at her and knocked their boxes together in a cheers motion. After silent sips from both of them, he looked at her.

"Tell me your story Kate."

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><p><em><strong>Ok so I had no idea anyone would even care about this story, but glad you do! <strong>_

**_Love Always, XOXOX_**


	3. Chapter 3

p style="text-align: center;"emHey everyone/em/p  
>p style="text-align: center;"emI know this definitely isn't what you all wanted to see. em/p  
>p style="text-align: center;"emTrust me I hate it too, but I've had a lot of complaints lately and I'm terribly sorry about not updating,em/p  
>p style="text-align: center;"emBut my family and I have recently been dealing with the loss of my mother. She was kinda the glue to our familyem/p  
>p style="text-align: center;"emAnd things havr been hectic, but it's pretty calm so I plan on updating tomorrow, God willing,em/p  
>p style="text-align: center;"emAnd again I truly apologize to everyone for this. em/p  
>p style="text-align: center;"emThis will be deleted as soon as I update. em/p  
>p style="text-align: center;"emLove Always, XOXOXem/p 


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